"It were a foolish thing to waste the whole summer only to be deceived in the end.
"Peter," he added suddenly, as if struck by a new idea, "I am no fearer of water.

I can dive and swim, and I have long wind, and can hold my breath a great while.

Thinkest thou that if I were to leap into the well and dive to the bottom, thou couldst give me the rope when I reappeared, and with the aid of the ass pull me forth again?
I can dive through the water, I trow, albeit the well is none too wide.

But I could not climb the steep stone sides; thou and the ass must help me there." Petronella was a little timid of the experiment lest harm should befall her brother, and persuaded him at last to tie the rope about him ere he dived, so that in the event of his striking his head, or in any other way hurting himself, she would have power to pull him up and out, even if he should have lost consciousness.

After making her promise not to use this power unless she were fully persuaded he was in some difficulty and unable to help himself, Cuthbert consented to this amendment; and when all preparations were complete he balanced himself for a moment on the edge of the well, and then launched himself downwards in a line as straight as an arrow.
Eagerly and breathlessly Petronella watched for his reappearance, holding her own breath the while, as though in some way that would help the diver.